You’ve decided on a domain name, have a web host to store your website files, and have a plan for creating the basic pages your website will need. Now it’s time to get down to building your professional looking website.

Don’t worry; you don’t need any prior design or online marketing experience. You can easily create your site using a customizable website template.

What is a website template?

A website template gives you the basic structure of your website. It lightens the load of building a website from scratch and gives you the basic building blocks of a professional-looking site that you can customize for your business.

What type of template should you choose?

The nature of your business determines the type of template that makes the most sense.

To find a template that meets your business needs you can typically search by categories such as online store, restaurants and eateries, architecture and real estate, and more. You can even find templates for starting personal websites such as a blogs, portfolios, and weddings.

Keep in mind that all templates are customizable. You can choose any website template that appeals to you and make adjustments before you hit publish.

Before you make a final decision on a website template:

• Do research. Look at other websites in your industry to see what design and functionality appeals to you.
• Keep your potential customers in mind. Of course, you want your website template to match your personality. But never lose focus on how your template will speak to your potential customers.
• Think about functionality requirements. Do you need to sell products online? Do you need a blog? An online portfolio? Be sure your template meets your needs.

Once you’re ready, select your website template and start customizing it.

How should you customize your website template?

Keep in mind that website templates have pre-set colors, styles, and fonts. You can keep these design elements as is or change them to suit your brand better.

When it comes to design there are four key areas:

1. Background. Change the color, texture, or image for the background of your site to fit your brand.
2. Colors. Choose a palette that works well with your template or create or replicate one that matches your brand.
3. Fonts. Readability is paramount when it comes to fonts. Use larger headlines to grab attention and lead readers to smaller body text. When choosing fonts, make sure your choice creates the right image for your business. For example, a playful font would probably not be right for a law firm.
4. Text Style. There are sizes, colors, and styles of text for different sections within your website template. You can modify things such as paragraph titles, menus, and page titles.

More tips for designing your website:

• Use contrast. Contrast makes your website easier to read. A simple example is dark text on a light background.
• Limit colors. Two or three main colors and some accent colors are all you need. Stick to your palette.
• Embrace white space. On a good website, white space is a strategic design feature, not a lack of content. Don’t overcrowd your design.

Overall, don’t stray too far from the basic structure already included in your template and you’ll have a great looking website. Just add your content.

One last step!

With your website template customized and the content for your pages added, all that’s left to do is hit publish. Congratulations on getting your website online.